Caught speeding - first offence

MadelinesMum

From experience, when travelling on a motorway and you come up to a bunch of cars going the speed limit and no-one overtaking, the probability is there's a police car about. Whether undercover or not they've been spotted.

jbainbridge

You asked for advice and got it. I don't see anyone being overly harsh. You broke the speed limit and got caught.

alastairq

To the OP.....?

Exceeding the speed limit is an 'absolute' offence.....in other words, you are either exceeding the limit or not.

There is no leeway.

As you accept you were exceeding the speed limit, your options are as has been amply stated above.

The levels of fine, discounts, penalty points, etc, are laid down in regulation, and the court has to follow those guidelines.


I think what you are seeking is a 'magic pill' in terms of mitigation.

For this, you would first need to opt to attend Court for the matter to be dealt with.

This will cost you more with regards to the amount of fine, and the Court fee [I forget it's technical name for the moment..that's down to age, I'm afraid, like having to write my destination on a piece of paper stuck to the dashboard....?]....since you would naturally plead guilty to the offence.

Trouble is, what sort of mitigation are you seeking?

The tariffs for fines are fixed, your licence is not in jeopardy regarding the points...so you would struggle for mitigation on the grounds you would lose your job, or your family would suffer hardship as a result.

If you feel such applications of the Law are unfair, then the correct procedure is to change the Law.

We all have the means to do that....though most of us lack the will.

Regarding your 9 years of having a clean licence?

Consider yourself lucky in that respect [will you send me some lottery numbers, please?], given your admitted attitude to driving.

You are not alone in that respect...far from it. Some people drive around for many years without being caught.... a 'place & time' thing?

To place some perspective, I have had a clean licence now for almost 30 years.

But I have held a licence for 46 years....and for the first 25-plus years of that, I drove for a living....as in, out there putting my licence at risk for a full + working day.

I have had endorsements [as they used to be, pre-points] and penalty points...but have always kept my nose clean with regards to bans....it takes effort and focus to retain a clean licence...more so back then, than now, I fear. It is easier if one just drives for an hour or so each day....or most days....or the odd weekend jaunt.

The more one exposes oneself on the roads [no, not that!] the more likely the maths will go against you.

I recommend simply paying up the cheaper option, and moving on.......try to learn something positive from the experience? [Why not enroll on one of the ' advanced' driving courses.? These will make you a lot more aware of your surroundings,and more conscious as a driver...might even save you more grief with the Law in the future?

reeac

:beer:

MadelinesMum wrote: »

From experience, when travelling on a motorway and you come up to a bunch of cars going the speed limit and no-one overtaking, the probability is there's a police car about. Whether undercover or not they've been spotted.

My sentiments exactly. That's the lesson to be learned.

kteara

I can't help but feel annoyed. Doesn't anyone else feel sorry for OP or is it just me that can relate and sympathise with OP's actions. I beleive it's actually safer to accelerate (sometimes 70mph is far too slow) past cars in order to overtake them. This means less time is spent in blind corners of other road users. It also prevents backlog and it's generally safe given that the driver is focused and has a capable car. Speed is much less of a hazard compared with careless/incompetent driving. It's clear that these speed laws are primarily set in place to generate revenue through fines and hiked insurance premiums.

I read on wikipedia once that the speed limits in the UK were set in the early 20th Century based on the cars at the time. Today many cars can travel upwards of 100mph much safer than old bangers can do 70 imo.

Can anyone give me any advice to start a campaign whereby I try get as many people as possible to send a template letter to either their local mp or an mp in charge of speed laws?

thanks

Hoof_Hearted

As said elsewhere, take the points and swallow it. You obviously weren't driving dangerously but you just pay the tax, I mean fine. It makes little difference to insurance premiums.

Iceweasel

kteara wrote: »

Can anyone give me any advice to start a campaign whereby I try get as many people as possible to send a template letter to either their local mp or an mp in charge of speed laws?

thanks

Didn't you read my post #21?

I agree with what you say and empathise completely with the OP - but the situation in the UK is hopeless.

Our MPs are only concerned that they continue being MPs - there are no votes to be won by increasing the speed limits - and they told us that.

See here:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=safety+concerns+and+fears+it+would+alienate+women+voters.&oq=safety+concerns+and+fears+it+would+alienate+women+voters.&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

The current Secretary of State for Transport is The Right Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP who is a total prat - and a blackleg turncoat, so you have no chance with the current government.

He is an ex-farm labourer (nothing wrong with that) and an ex-miner (nothing wrong with that either) but check what he did during the Miner's Strikes back in 1984.

Based on his history of following the decisions his work colleagues voted for I could not trust him as far as I could throw him.

Leopards don't change their spots in my experience.

Car_54

kteara wrote: »

I read on wikipedia once that the speed limits in the UK were set in the early 20th Century based on the cars at the time. Today many cars can travel upwards of 100mph much safer than old bangers can do 70 imo.

Don't believe all you read on Wikipedia (or indeed anywhere on the internet, including this forum).

Until 1965 there was no limit on non-restricted roads.

almillar

The stopping distances quoted on the back of the Highway Code are those of a Ford Anglia (I think?) with drum brakes and terrible tyres - modern cars can stop far faster than that of course, but the roads are also much busier. Also, people can still drive these cars on the road, so it shouldn't be updated. The speed limit - that's another story... (IMO plenty of stretches of motorway are safe at 80).

alastairq

I read on wikipedia once that the speed limits in the UK were set in the early 20th Century based on the cars at the time. Today many cars can travel upwards of 100mph much safer than old bangers can do 70 imo.

In the 1960's, to be precise [when I started driving].....with a good many cheap family cars able to exceed that speed comfortably.

The problem lies not with the car, but with the abilities if the human being behind the wheel. And their ability to cope with problems occurring, and the time it takes them to respond.

Sadly over the years, whilst cars and technology have improved considerably..the abilities of human beings [as drivers] have not. Evolution still lags behind technology.

I beleive it's actually safer to accelerate (sometimes 70mph is far too slow) past cars in order to overtake them. This means less time is spent in blind corners of other road users.

Whilst ignoring the speed limit [which is a 'cap' on overall speed, not the safest speed to be driving at] to overtake may seem a reasonable course of action, what you describe actually demonstrates what amounts to careless or dangerous driving, in the eyes of the law. The LAw is quite specific regarding overtaking ....overtake only 'when safe to do so'....which means...if you need to exceed the speed limit in order to pass safely, you have made a mistake.

If a driver cannot pass another, safely, without having to resort to exceeding hte speed limit, then they should not overtake.

Whilst as an individual, you may feel competent at coping at speeds in excess of the limit, what about other drivers having to cope with you?


If a bunch of traffic is encountered, travelling at, or close to the speed limit....why not simply ease off a bit, and see what develops with that bunch? Then pass them further up, without having to resort to breaking the Law?

That is not simply 'my view'.....but ask yourself, what would a Magistrate [or Prosecutor] ask if such a circumstance was presented before a Court?

Ask yourself, if you were undergoing a driving test at the time, would you expect to receive a 'pass'?

Thinking as a Driving Assessor [one of my professional hats].....I would ask myself, [based on what is described], whether that driver was actually as safe and competent at those higher speeds, as they imagine? Or, are they mislead by the comfort, security and insulation provided by their car?